Not Our Last Kiss
by DiniLou
Summary: The break up was hard on her. Possibly harder on him. But she wouldn't know that, because as far as she knew she was the only one who spent her evenings replaying all their shared memories. When he walked out of her life he took the light in her eyes with him. She couldn't move on. And he watched as it destroyed her. OneShot SongFic slightly to Taylor Swifts Last Kiss


Hey guys, so I started this one shot and while listening to the song on replay it just kind of became the song. It is more of a fanfic than a song fic but never the less I hope you enjoy. I had fun writing it and I hope you have fun reading it.

I don't own Harry Potter cast or this song Last Kiss by Taylor swift.

I didn't intend on this to be so long but it just kind of kept flowing. Some parts are better than others because they came easier but that's how the story goes XD

Anyway enjoy. Thanks for giving my story a chance. I'll leave you to it now.

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><p>The breakup was hard on her. Possibly harder on him.<p>

She had to deal with the fact that he left because he didn't want her.

He knew why he left because he loved her, and day to day he watched his departure destroy her because she wasn't moving on.

When they started out she promised herself not to fall for him, or if she did to always expect the end because with him, there was always an end.

When they started out he promised himself not to ever hurt her because she was pure and was willing to look past everything he'd ever done. Or if he did to make it so she hated him enough to move on and live her life right; without him.

But promises were broken; she fell in love with him very quickly and forgot to place her hands in front of her to catch her when she falls. He did hurt her, he brought forth the end and he tried to make her hate him but she had already fallen. All he did was kick her while she was down so she could get up battered, bruised and broken.

And now while he was Merlin knows where, she was sitting at home on her floor like she did every night holding on to all she had left of him hoping it would one day be enough. Sitting cross-legged in his oversized green shirt and a pair of black boxers with a photo album of them laid out in front of her as she flipped through the pages.

_I still remember the look on your face  
>Been through the darkness at 1:58<br>The words that you whispered for just us to know  
>You told me you loved me so why did you go away, go away<em>

He could have stayed. But instead he broke her, he took away her strength. Without him she didn't fight half as hard, and she knew if it was anyone else she would have kicked them out of her life forever but she knew if he came knocking back at her door she'd welcome him back in a heartbeat. She didn't know how she lived so many years hating him because now she couldn't go back to the way it was before. She couldn't not love him.

"_Granger?" He asked wondering if she was still awake._

"_Mhmm" She nodded against his chest letting him know she wasn't quite asleep yet. It was late in the year and in the night. The only reason she was_

_He looked down at her sleepy form and smiled to himself at how she could look so perfect even while asleep. Her hair was falling in her face as her eyes fluttered waiting for sleep. She was half leaning against the tree and half leaning against him with his arm wrapped around her waist holding her to him._

_He kissed the top of her head and before removing his lips he muttered against her curly hair, "I love you."_

_He didn't know if she had heard him at first but he could feel her lips curve up against his chest and her head nod ruffling his shirt._

_He chuckled mostly to himself as she fell asleep in his arms just after she returned his words rather sleepily._

"_I love you too Draco," And then she was consumed by the sleep that promised dreams of a happy future._

She looked at the picture of nine Hogwarts students goofing off and smiling. Harry and Ron in deep discussion about something most likely quidditch, Luna, Pansy and Ginny laughing as they joked around with Blaise and Neville while Draco held her to his chest as he shot back insults whenever someone commented that he had gone soft, and that it was herself that had made him do so.

She smiled as the familiar scene played in front of her eyes as they all sat under their favourite tree. The tree that would always bring back that memory of the night he confessed.

As she flipped the page she saw pictures of the last few days of winter break when she came home from her parents. She wanted to spend the last winter break she'd ever have with them because she didn't know how busy life would be for her once she was working in the wizard world full time.

She saw pictures of Harry and Ron throwing snowballs at her when they had originally agreed no teams. So much for that, but boys will be boys. Luckily however she had her own secret weapon. When she saw a group of Slytherins walk out onto the grounds she let a snow ball hit directly in the face by one of Ron and shrieked pretending be hurt as she fell to the ground.

Immediately her gaze shifted to the second frame where she saw three Slytherin's standing behind her as she knelt on her knees all packing their snowballs ready to throw. While two of them had their famous deadly smirk in place the third was already aiming with their really good throwing for a certain red head who had hit their new friend. Yes, it was Pansy who had the better arm out of the three boys but if you told the boys that they would deny it.

She watched the picture as the Slytherins took aim and bombarded the two Gryffindor's with snowballs until they surrendered. She saw herself rolling around on the ground laughing as the boys complained about unfairness. However her laughter was cut short when a pile of snow had been dropped on her head.

She looked at the third picture of herself as she wiped the snow off of her face as looked around frantically for the culprit who dumped snow on her. She was ready to sick Draco on them only to find a hysterical Draco on his knees gasping for the breath his laughter was denying it. She remembered he claimed that she couldn't just use him like that and that he needed to maintain his bad boy rep. How dumping snow on your girlfriend maintained such a rep she was unsure.

She looked at the final picture on the page and found a full blown snow ball fight everyone for themselves occurring. She watched as Blaise hit Pansy who turned murderous on him only to be distracted in laughter when Harry threw a rather large bunch of snow at Blaise where half of it went down his pants and his girlish shrieks began. Ron had 'messed up' Draco's hair when he hit him with a snowball which was originally intended for herself but Draco had jumped in front of her and taken the blow. No matter how his messed up hair came to be though he demanded a reward for it. And later on bestowed punishment on Ron by lifting up enough snow to bury a person under with his wand and dropping it on Ron, who indeed became effectively lost in the mound of cold.

As she flipped the page a photo fell out and as she turned said photo over she found a black and white muggle photo of Draco kissing her in front of the Hogwarts express. Her arms wrapped around his neck and his around her waist. She stood on her tippy-toes as her hair blew in the wind exposing a green Slytherin scarf. A smile tugging at both of their lips as they stood in the cold on an early January afternoon.

This photo didn't need to move to tell a story, the simplicity was enough to remind her of that day. It was the day she had gotten back to Hogwarts when she had just come off the train.

She knew she shouldn't do it but she ignored the voice in her head and stood up looking for something.

"_Attention Hogwarts Students returning from your winter vacations" A loud voice boomed from an unknown location above in her compartment. "The Hogwarts express will be stopping shortly and we advise for all of you to be ready to depart." And the voice cut off._

_She smiled. Though Harry, Ron and Ginny had all gone home for the break as well and had kept her company in their usual compartment, Draco had not. He decided to stay with Blaise and Pansy over break to 'torment some first years' and 'enjoy having control of the school' as they put it. Though how she thought that was any different than what they already did all year she didn't know. _

_Though she was sad he wasn't on the train with them as well as his friends who fit in quite well with the other Gryffindor's surprisingly, she was glad that he was having some time for just him and his mates. She would have invited him to come with her since he didn't know where his parents were but she knew he would only be uncomfortable in the presence of her parents since no doubt they had heard all the stories about all the awful things he had done to her._

_Instead she spent time with her family and friends and would spend time with him when they got back to the castle. She spent most of her time on the train joking with her friends or looking out the window and watched the rain drops race as they hit the window. She did have a good time though, just like she always did._

_She felt the train jolt to a stop before she jumped up ready to go._

"_What's your rush 'Mione?" Ginny asked though she was pretty sure the youngest Weasley had a really good guess as to why she was so excited. And it wasn't the room full of books._

_In response she just shrugged and smiled. They still had to take the carriages up to the castle but she was that much closer to seeing him. After all, wasn't she allowed to be excited after not seeing her boyfriend for two weeks? Yes, she thought she was._

_She waited for Ginny who seemed to be pulling something out of her bag before deciding to go on ahead. She stepped out of the train and just as she started towards the carriages something caught her eye. A patch of light blonde something caught her attention. She whipped around to find the patch of light that had dragged her attention away from the whirl of students and transportation. _

_She smirked when she found a boy she faintly recognized leaning against up against a maple tree with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. She didn't know where she'd seen him from though since it had been so long she thought jokingly to herself._

_She tried not to run to him. She tried to take her time and walk leisurely over to him. But her façade only worked for a moment when she saw him straighten up and make his way to her and before she knew it she was hurtling herself into his arms._

_He held her a moment before she pulled back much to his protest. "What are you doing here?" She smirked in mockery. _The_ Draco Malfoy had gone out of his way to meet her when she got off the train. "Missed me that much huh?" The smirk on her face grew._

"_I did not." He stated. She wanted to say 'you did too', but she saw him opening his mouth to speak again. "Blaise and Pansy were annoying me so I had to get away." He said simply._

"_Sure." She dragged the word out. "I'm touched." She smiled. Her smile was free of mockery this time because in truth she really was touched. Not many boys she knew would do that, not even Harry and Ron would have come to get her. Although she thought carefully, maybe this was something done by someone who is more than just a friend._

"_Don't be. It's your fault they keep pestering me. You showed them that bloody frame. You've officially ruined all and any other thoughtful gifts from me to you from here on out. I hope you're please." He said in a huff._

"_Quite." She smiled up at him; his arms still wrapped around her waist._

"_It's not funny you know. They really are annoying." He said._

_She slapped him on the chest. "Draco, you shouldn't be so mean to them. They're your frmph" She tried to say but her lips were cut off by his own. _

_She smiled welcoming the interruption and wrapped her arms around his neck. She could feel him smile against her own lips which only made it even better. She could have stayed there in his arms forever. She loved the security his arms provided, the feel of his lips on hers as they fit perfectly, and the feel of her pressed to his chest so closely she could feel his heart race that told her he felt the same way she did. That just his presence was enough to leave her breathless._

_She didn't mind that it was cold and that her hair was blowing around. She didn't mind that people were probably staring as they often did when the two of them were concerned. She didn't notice the flash from somewhere in front of them. She didn't hear the complaints from her two best friends about snogging a ferret in front of them or about not having the decency to at least get a room. _

_All that she was focused on was the man holding her in his arms kissing her gently but passionately. All too soon where they pulled apart by a voice behind them._

"_Draco! There you are mate. You make it bloody hard to find you but somehow I knew you'd be here!" Blaise shouted from a few feet behind them his voice filled with glee that he had interrupted a moment. He broke his lips away from her but nothing else. He leaned his forehead down to remain touching her own and still kept his arms around her waist._

"_See I told you. Damn annoying." He muttered his breath on her lips. She laughed to herself and he couldn't help it as the corners of his lips tilted up. Maybe there was some truth to the story he'd told her just moments ago._

_She was surprised though to feel him yanked from her only to find Blaise holding the back of his collar dragging him away._

"_Couldn't you hear me from over there mate? Took me an hour to find you! Come'on almost all the carriages are gone." He chanted merrily as he dragged his best friend away. That boy must have a death wish._

"_Damn annoying Granger! And it's _your_ fault!" He shouted as he allowed the boy to drag him away. He'd get him back._

_She started laughing at the boys, she missed their squabbles and ridiculous encounters very much. Soon her laugh was joined with that of the dark boy dragging away her boyfriend. They made it all the way to the carriage before he turned around directing his attention to the girl he'd stolen his friend from._

"_Are you just going to stand there Granger or are you going to come with us?" He asked with a smirk. He let Draco get in the carriage before he turned to climb in. She turned to find the last carriage was filled with her friends as Ginny took the last seat effectively giving her only one option. She silently thanked the girl as she did want to spend time with her boyfriend and his crazy best friend._

"_I'll even let you sit next to me." He flirtatiously uttered only half way in the carriage adding a wink for effect. However this wink did not go unnoticed by her boyfriend and she knew it must have been his doing when she saw a foot kick Blaise off the ladder and fly a few feet before landing on the ground with a thump. She laughed and ran to the carriage to get a seat beside Draco as Blaise cursed rubbing his sore behind._

_She took her place beside Draco who immediately wrapped his arm around her waist pressing her to his side._

"_I think your boyfriends a tad jealous Granger!" He shouted playfully as he walked to the carriage. "He knows no woman can resist the Zabini charm." He said calmly when he climbed up into the carriage for the second time. _

_She laughed as Blaise and she were probably the only people who would ever get away with speaking to him like that. Though she bet she would get away with more than he would as he hadn't even sat down before Draco shot him from the carriage for the second time with a stupefy spell._

_Yes he definitely had a death wish._

_Despite her laughter she was concerned for how he would get back to the castle. It was a long walk._

"_Draco, how's he going to get back now? Go and get him!" She tried to order her boyfriend to do as she demanded. However to no avail as he didn't budge._

"_Some fresh air would do his lacking brain cells some good." He said smugly._

"_That doesn't even make sensmphm" She tried but for the second time today her words were cut off. Effectively shut up she felt him lean back enough to speak._

"_He interrupted us Hermione." He said before claiming another kiss. She smiled all worries forgotten. It wouldn't hurt Blaise to use up some of his energy and she was rather pleased before he'd ripped away her boyfriend. She nodded closing her eyes. She heard a faint 'where were we' before she was once again consumed by the presence of the man she loved._

_I do recall now the smell of the rain  
>Fresh on the pavement, I ran off the <em>_**train**__  
>That <em>_**one afternoon**__, the beat of your heart  
>It jumps through your shirt, I can still feel your arms<em>

She smiled when she found what she was searching for lying in her bedside drawer. She pulled out a small silver frame that had various rubies and diamonds scattered at the corners and edges of the frame. The frame had been empty for months now as it had been a Christmas gift for her during her seventh year from Draco. At the bottom of the frame written in simple black calligraphy letters was a quote _When love is not madness, it is not love_. She smiled as she looked at the frame in her hands. She had agreed with him when he said he was pretty sure it summed up their relationship for how much they argued and bickered.

He told her never to expect anything mushy like that again and that if she told everyone the frame was from him they would find the frame in the bottom of the black lake tied to her body. She just laughed at the empty threat as she showed her frame off to Ginny, Luna, Pansy and of course Blaise. It had been a surprise to see Draco waiting for her at the train but even more of a surprise to find out he had been telling the truth as to why he was there when a pestering Blaise had shown up. Later Blaise had shown up once more to give his friend heck for leaving him behind and making him walk home but Draco managed to get rid of his best friends when he attacked her with his lips engulfing both in a rather heated snog.

Her lips tingled at the thought of his lips on hers. She didn't just want to feel him kissing her again, but hear him talk to her again like friends, maybe just acknowledge that things didn't go right but that she still existed. But maybe since he was the one who ended it things were different for him. He didn't want her in his life anymore clearly so maybe that was too much to ask for.

She sadly chuckled at the memory of him saying never expect anything mushy like this again. She wondered if at the time it was a joke that turned into reality or had he always meant those words to be so literal.

She slid the black and white photo inside the frame and walked back into her living room to place it on the mantle.

_Don't do it. Burn the frame; shred picture. This will only remind you of him even more. You need to move on, let go. Take down that photo._

The thoughts in her head urged. But she smiled and shook her head. Draco rarely ever gave gifts to anyone, and when he did they were usually just the most expensive thing in the store. But for her gift he had put thought into it, how could she destroy a simple act of sincerity? A gift that purely represented the side of him no one else was allowed to see? How could she throw it out?

And that picture. It was one of the few muggle photos she had of them. She had given Ginny a muggle camera for Christmas so she could learn and experiment with the beauty that a non-moving photograph can hold. Little did she know Ginny had plans for that camera.

She liked the picture because it held her muggle world and her wizarding world together. With the Hogwarts train in the back ground along with her pure blood boyfriend at the time representing the magic and the muggle style picture capturing herself- a muggle born witch- as well in the picture. She couldn't throw away something she held so dear to her, no matter if it brought back painful happy memories.

She continued to smile as she reminisced in the old memories. She would smile now, but she knew when the album was put away until tomorrow and she had crawled into bed leaving no distractions for her thoughts, she wouldn't be smiling as she fell asleep. And she would wake up to tear stained cheeks, red eyes and tear drops on her pillow. But for now she would be okay.

She looked at a picture that held only herself in the frame studying in a library. Her hair as wild as ever, her eyebrows crinkled in thought and her bottom lip being gnawed on by her teeth as she became absorbed in her world of wonder where questions ran wild shortly followed by a book with an answer.

When they'd broken up she'd been a mess. She was worse than she was now because she couldn't smile at anything. It wasn't until Ginny, Luna and Pansy decided to have an intervention that she felt better about herself. She wasn't pleased when they told her he wasn't worth it because no matter how many times she was told that by how many people she wouldn't ever believe it. Of course he was. He was smart, funny, kind, caring, confident, and handsome. Every time she said something that complemented him Pansy and Ginny would race to see who could throw the first insult towards him even though they both still remained good friends with him.

They told her he was conceited, she said he was confident. They said he was arrogant, she said he was self-assured. They said he was mean and she told them he spoke his mind. They eventually stopped trying to insult him when they realised they were only hurting her. She'd told them it didn't matter what they said. She told them she fell in love with him because he was all of those things. If Draco Malfoy wasn't conceited, arrogant, obnoxious, mean, critical, judgmental, and felt as though he was better than everyone else, then he wasn't Draco Malfoy. But she also fell in love with him because he let her see the side he was hiding, and because he let himself fall in love with her.

She eventually realised he didn't want her anymore and that made her hurt even more. But she decided she wanted to be something he wanted. She would make herself something he wanted. But she didn't know how. Some days for work she would change her hair, place a spell on it to make it straight or so it held only delicate almost unnoticeable waves to it. She would place a protection spell on top of it too so no bad weather or unfortunate mishap would ruin it. Truth be told she liked her hair better without the spells because it was who she was and she had always been opposed to the girls who jumped through hoops with their appearances to gain the interest of their male classmates. Yet here she was, jumping through hoops for one man in particular.

However every day while walking back to work after lunch her hair would turn back into the hair she had all throughout her school years. She didn't know how it could have happened unless someone else had changed it back. She didn't know why anyone would want to ruin her styled hair by taking of the charms on it so it went back to its unruly mess. But another thought had come to her mind one day as her hair changed back once more.

"_I like your hair Granger. It's completely you, it holds as much furry as you do. And it's wild and impossible to tame just as you are."_ A voice rang in her mind from one of the many nights she'd spent under their tree with him. Maybe someone had changed her hair back because they liked it better this way. But she laughed at that thought. Who would like her hair like this way besides herself? She knew he had told her that once but what did it matter to him? Why would he go out of his way to change her hair back because he 'liked' it that way. The thought of Draco still having a care about her made her chuckle sadly. She didn't know how to get him back; she didn't know how to be the girl he was looking for.

_But now I'll go sit on the floor wearing your clothes  
>All that I know is I don't know<br>How to be something you miss_

She told herself before they got into deep not to expect her happy ending. She told herself she couldn't ever like him more than a crush because of the bad blood. She told herself all of these things to keep her heart safe but it hadn't worked. He'd snaked his way into her heart and she lost herself in him. She never told herself to enjoy it while it lasts anymore because she was sure it would last. She was the only girl he ever said he loved, he was the only one she wanted to be with. So why did it have to end? He was the one for her, she knew that much. But whether or not she was the one for him she didn't know.

_Never thought we'd have a last kiss  
>Never imagined we'd end like this<br>Your name, forever the name on my lips_

She flipped the page of her album and chuckled when she saw a page that was supposed to be dedicated to Blaise as all the pictures were taken for his birthday. But somehow Draco had sneaked his way into every single picture. She looked to the first shot to find him greeting the birthday boy with one of their best mate handshakes that she never understood. She smiled as the memory was so clearly burned in her mind.

"_We are going to be late Draco if you don't hurry up." She said a few steps ahead of her boyfriend who just waved her worries off._

"Fashionably_ late." He smirked while he grabbed her hand and pulled her back a few steps so she had to walk with him._

"_Oh yes, because you Malfoy's are everything but unfashionable." She said her voice full of mockery._

"_Now your catching on. Who said Hermione Granger wasn't smart." He joked earning him a shove with her shoulder. He took a step back feigning hurt._

"_No one's ever said I wasn't smart." She boasted going along with his little charade._

"_Ahha she's mastered the art of arrogance. You my love would do alright as a Malfoy." He smirked pulling her back to his side._

"_Is this a proposal?" She joked._

"_Ah you wish." He said pretending to be superior._

"_Hardly." She scoffed._

_Feeling the need to prove himself to the woman on his arm he lowered himself down to her for a lingering kiss. Only slightly moving her head out of reach she asked "What was that for?"_

"_Am I not good enough for you then?" He smirked when she blushed and stuttered not hearing the joking in his tone. He sighed and kissed her quiet before saying "We're here love." He smirked before pulling open the door of the Room of Requirement and guiding them in._

_The room was full of bodies Slytherins, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors alike, most of which where noted to be girls. It wasn't long before the Birthday boy was in front of them._

"_Malfoy, late as always." He smirked._

"_Fashionably late." Draco corrected his friend but smirked along anyway as though this was their usual greeting. Though the longer she thought about it, she realised it probably was._

"_Hermione, I would have expected you to get him here on time." He said shaking his head in disapproval. However the two boys broke out in laughter as she tried to explain._

"_I tried. But everything has to be about him! Bloody selfish he is!" She yelled trying to defend herself as she was still a little flustered and confused from the events that occurred outside the door just moments ago. The boys continued with their conversation and chose not to say anything objecting her sentence as both knew it was true. Blaise greeted Draco with the hand-shake hug think all guys do and she wasn't surprised when he told Blaise he ruffled his robes._

"_Aw, did I wrinkle your robes?" He said in a baby voice that didn't bother Draco visibly. In turn she rolled her eyes knowing how this would end. He really was very predictable when it came to money and his 'tailored, hand chosen, costly' robes._

"_Yes you did. And you better watch yourself, these robes cost more than you manor." He said his smirk perfectly in place._

"_I doubt it." Blaise smirked. She didn't hear Draco's argument as she really wasn't interested in what they were talking about. She caught pieces of it like 'Really? Wow I guess they do' and sayings like that. What brought her attention back to the bickering boys was the mention of her name._

"_Anyway" Blaise said dragging out the two syllable word as he tried to divert conversation from himself. "I bet you wouldn't mind if Hermione ruffled up your clothes a bit." He joked and laughed when he saw her cheeks redden. This caused Draco to chuckle along and wrap an arm around her waist to pull her close._

"_Not at all," He huskily whispered in her ear which sent a shiver down her spine. They said good bye to Blaise before –with much protest- Draco dragged her off to the dance floor._

"_You know, Malfoy's are naturally good at dancing." He smirked tugging at her hand inching her closer to the dancing bodies._

"_Well I'm not a Malfoy and I can promise you it would be a safety hazard to all if you try to get me to dance." She argued with him really not wanting to go out there._

"_You can't be that bad love. And even if you are it doesn't matter because everyone will be watching yours truly anyway." He laughed when she swatted at him making it easier to tug her to him. He pulled her right into his chest and held her close. It didn't matter that it wasn't a slow song because for the moment all he wanted was for her to feel more comfortable on the floor. When she finally eased up he made sure she let loose a little and all in all their night was perfect. _

She smiled knowing there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for him. She knew that then, and she knew that now.

_I do remember the swing of your step  
>The life of the party, you're showing off again<br>And I roll my eyes and then you pulled me in  
>I'm not much for dancing but for you I did<em>

She looked at the pictures of Draco and Blaise, Draco, Blaise and herself, Draco, Blaise and Pansy, Draco and herself, Draco and Pansy… it went on as she looked at all the cut up photos of them. She smiled finally seeing one picture that was only Blaise. It was his night after all and he deserved to have a picture without his spotlight stealing best friend. She chuckled though when she realised Blaise wasn't alone in the picture as she saw a bit of blonde hair in the corner knowing she obviously cut Draco out of the photo so when she showed it to Blaise he couldn't question whose night it was. Not that this tiny photo in the left corner really made a difference but isn't it the thought that counts? Besides, Blaise wasn't the kind of person to pick out the flaws in something, no that was Draco.

She laughed though about how he acted. She loved him for everything he was. What people considered bad and unappealing in him, she found it unique and fixable. But don't get her wrong because she loved trying to adapt to his ways and fit in with his world. And she would never in a million years try to change him. He was polite and respectable, and calm and collected. He was easy going at most times; he never really showed he had a care in the world. He protected who and what he loved even if what he loved were a few people and even less objects. He was strong and independent but she saw the side of him that was insecure, vulnerable and just needed someone to listen and lean on. He was conceited and almost always got his way but the light that appeared in his eyes when he was pleased was one of her favourite things.

She wished she could go back to it all. To the arguments they had and the verbal battles, the taunts and the teasing, the kissing and the smirks and the smiles joined with the laughs and the breath taking moments. He was everything she ever wanted and more, and she would trade anything to just be able to have a conversation with him now. She knew he had changed from when they were in their early years in Hogwarts as it was obvious to her that he didn't care about blood status anymore. He even tried to do some muggle things with her like festivals and movies.

"_Hermione if you don't tell me where we are going right now I'm turning and aparating back to Hogwarts right now." He said as he was being dragged down the muggle streets of London. She told him she had a surprise for him but he wasn't a big fan of surprises. He couldn't imagine what could be so important that she would skip studying for and for her to have to go and get permission them to leave Hogwarts for a night._

"_But then it wouldn't be a surprise." She smiled up at him._

"_Exactly." He muttered as she continued pulling him in some strange direction._

"_Oh hush up you baby. We are almost there, quit your whining." She said pulling harder on his arm obviously eager to go somewhere._

"_I'm not being a baby. I don't like surprises and Malfoys don't do what they don't want to do. And we don't whine either." He huffed but kept walking along with her._

"_Well this Malfoy does if he ever wants anything from me ever again." She said straining to get him to move faster._

"_Anything?" He asked. If he had known this conversation could be this interesting he would have started complaining an hour ago. No scratch that, he had been complaining an hour ago. He would have put more effort into his complaints._

"_Not anything get your head out of the gutter." She swatted his arm and he only chuckled. She didn't know it but if he didn't want to move, she wouldn't have been able to move him. He was much taller than she and much stronger as well. She was lucky he was even cooperating this much._

"_How about a kiss then?" He asked half hopingly._

"_Mhmm…. At the end of the night." She decided after a moment of thought._

"_Granger you know I'm not going to wait that long. How about now?" He asked his usual smirk in full tilt._

"_How about no?" She asked leading him to a gate that seemed to hold different types spinning, flashing, and moving of lights._

"_Granger." He said._

"_Oh quit your whining we're here anyway." She said as she pulled them in and had a man stamp their wrists after handing over some paper. _

"_Malfoys don't whine." He muttered mostly to himself._

_Soon he found out she had taken him to a carnival. He learned this was what many muggles came to for entertainment when they were in town. He learned from experience about how each ride worked as she insisted they go on them all. They ate something that she described was like eating a cloud, they played 'carnival games' and won tickets which resulted in prizes. Why she held onto the fuzzy blue teddy bear he won her like it was something of utmost value he didn't know. Obviously it was because it was from him but it wasn't even green. _

_Despite his reluctant attitude to participate in all this muggle he did enjoy himself. He didn't mind them very much anymore. In fact some of the things they had come up with were genius. He could see why muggles would also come here for dates as he noticed once they got on any ride Hermione clung to him like her life depended on it. Not that he minded an ounce about the proximity, in fact he insisted they go on more just because she held onto him so much as she buried her face in the crook of his neck 'afraid to look'. Most of the time he walked slightly behind her trying to take it all in as he walked easily with his hands in his pockets; the rest of the time he would catch up to her and slip his hand around hers and let her lead him from place to place._

"_We have to go on that one." She pointed to some sort of rotating wheel._

"_Okay." He agreed quickly. Most of the things she'd shown him were enjoyable so he had no reason to not want to agree with her judgement once again._

_They stood in line for about ten minutes before climbing into some sort of seating booth._

"_My father always used to take me to the fair when I was young and this was always his favourite ride." She said as she looked over at the sea of lights._

"_Why?" He asked not sure about what was so great about a slow moving wheel._

"_Just wait till we get to the top." She smiled at him._

"_My father always told me that the other rides brought excitement to the festivities. The blinking lights put everyone in such good moods and everyone rushed around wanting to experience and do everything. But he said the Ferris wheel brought a beauty to the fair you couldn't see from down below." She said. She sat across from him watching his expression change from confusion to thought._

"_Draco, look." She said dreamily pointing to the lights below when they reached to top. She smiled at how everything seemed quiet and still from the top and it gave you a minute to just take a breath of fresh air._

_She saw him smile a real smile as he looked down at the scene painted before him. She walked over to sit with him and he placed an arm around her shoulders so she could lean into him._

"_Smart man." He said looking down at the wise man's daughter. She laughed. She was sure despite their past her parents would accept Draco as they had Harry, Ron and Ginny. She could just picture it now how they would eye him wearily but all doubts would be erased when they saw how happy he made their daughter. _

_He did get that kiss she promised him later in the night on top of the Ferris wheel. She was glad she got to share a part of her world with him and was even more enthralled that he had enjoyed himself._

_Because I loved your handshake, meeting my father  
>I love how you walk with your hands in your pockets<br>How you'd kiss me when I was in the middle of saying something  
>There's not a day I don't miss those rude interruptions<em>

She sighed as she looked down at her album. She missed him, a lot. His shirt smelled like he did; fresh cut grass, stormy rain and his cologne. She hugged it closer and she loved that even when she washed it, it still smelt like him. Their relationship brought their friends together along with themselves but now that it was over a faint awkwardness was in the air whenever a large group of them were together. Their relationship had also potentially destroyed any friend ship the two of them could have. No, it wasn't potentially as it was permanently so far. But without their relationship they would have never given a potential friendship between them a try. Sighing once more she continued with her journey down memory lane.

She laughed as she turned the next page to find photos of her and her new Slytherin friends. The first picture that caught her eye was a picture of Blaise with his arm wrapped around her waist holding her to him as he kissed her on the cheek. Though it was only a little kiss on the cheek she saw her own cheeks colouring themselves more and more red the longer it lasted.

What was really funny was in the background Draco's expression was getting darker and darker until he finally reached to pull her out of the dark boys grasp only to find Pansy snatching her and pulled her even farther out of Draco's reach and into the next picture.

She saw herself being dragged by Pansy as Draco ran after them only to catch up with them to find she'd been handed off to Blaise once more. The three of them were laughing so hard while Draco looked a little less than pleased at the façade.

She smiled when his form finally caught hers and dragged her to the ground causing them to roll down the hill laughing and screaming. They rolled until they landed in the third frame where he was leaning over her ever giggling self. He smirked and leaned his head to hers to end her giggling with a kiss. When he pulled back satisfied that she had stopped laughing at him he was surprised when she reached for his tie and pulled him down for another kiss.

The real surprise though was when Blaise came out of nowhere and tackled Draco off of her and the two of them rolled down the hill into a fourth picture. When they came to a stop Blaise looked quite pleased with the disruption he'd caused, while Draco looked absolutely murderous as his hands itched towards his best friend's throat.

She saw Pansy come and grab her hand and pull her away as they began to run once more from the blonde boy who perked up and smirked when he saw her try to escape. Soon all murderous thoughts for Blaise were forgotten and he was up and running too.

She smiled, she doubted anything like that would ever happen to them again. He was moving on, living without her while she spent many nights trying to hold onto him and everything they were. She saw him every once in a while and she was happy to see he looked just like he did from their school days. He still had his emotionless façade but he seemed to be getting along with life quite well. And she was glad that Blaise and Pansy were still good friends with the both of them despite the severed link between the two groups of friends. She'd even seen the dark Slytherin a few days ago.

"_Hermione!" Someone called her. She whirled around to find a familiar face standing behind her before flinging her arms around him in a rib crushing hug. He chuckled despite his sudden lack of air and wrapped his arms around the girl as he returned her hug._

"_Blaise it's nice to see you." She smiled as she backed out of their embrace._

"_You to Hermione. You look good." He said, but she guessed the last bit was a sympathy complement as she felt like a wreck. She gave him a smile none the less. _

_They chatted for a while catching up, laughing every now and then. "You know Draco doesn't know what he's missing Hermione. Being a fool he is." He said even though he knew it was a sensitive subject for her._

_That was the thing about Blaise, he was aware of the situation and he knew where the lines were but he didn't baby you. If something needed to be said or addressed than he was the one to do it. He was the only one of her friends that didn't tip toe around the subject or when Draco's name was mentioned walk as if they were standing on egg shells._

"_Blaise you shouldn't talk like that. He's your best friend." She said kindly though her mood had fallen a little bit. However her defense for her ex had angered Blaise slightly because unlike that certain ex he saw just how much this girl loved him. Most girls would be glad at insults thrown towards a man who had done her wrong, but not her, she only wanted the best for him._

"_Best mate or not he's a right fowl git where I'm concerned." He growled slightly. _

"_Blaise." She said scolding him slightly with only his name. He nodded knowing not to push that any further and waited for her to speak what was on her mind. "So, how is he?"_

"_He's…" He hesitated not knowing how to put it. He saw in her eyes the hope and hurt all for the same reason. Hoping that he was happy, that life was treating him well and that he found whatever he was looking for; hurt because it wasn't her. He sighed giving her what she obviously wanted to hear. "Fine."_

_The smile she gave him made him want to kill his blonde friend. He had told him he left her for her own good. That she didn't want to be a part of his world because it would destroy her, but looking at her now he could tell what was destroying her was not being a part of his world. _

_She was a strong girl, she would have been able to deal with the criticism of being with an ex Death Eater, just as she had been able to deal with being discriminated against for being muggle-born. _

_He could feel the stare that belonged to the vary grey eyed friend he'd agreed to meet for lunch and decided it was time he bid goodbye to his other good friend. People didn't know it but it bothered him very much that two of his closest friends living life half full because one was an idiot and the other felt unwanted._

"_Well, I should go Hermione." He smiled to her and she returned the smile._

"_Lunch plans Blaise?" She asked._

"_Yes, indeed they are." He waved her off and was turning to walk away when a few words stopped him._

"_Tell Draco I say hi." He looked back to find her smiling at something or someone that wasn't him before nodding her head once bidding goodbye and turning around back to where every she was originally headed._

_He shook his head, his blonde friend was going to get an ear full today at lunch. Oh yes, all lunch they were going to talk about old Hogwarts friends and running into know-it-all Gryffindor's. Blaise decided he was going to eat a lot just so they sat there longer discussing a certain girl, and he was going to make Draco pay for lunch._

She shook her head slightly at that encounter. She knew Blaise was trying to fix things; make her feel better, and at the same time try hide the fact that he was indeed meeting Draco for lunch just down the street. He was such a good friend. But she had seen her Slytherin ex-boyfriend standing down the street in front of a quaint little restaurant and she knew immediately that when Blaise said he was meeting someone it would be him.

She didn't mind, she wasn't mad or hurt like Blaise had thought she would have been. She was glad he was getting along with life, and still meeting his friends. She wasn't over him yet, nor did she ever think she would be.

Luna had once told her the Nargles were holding onto her heart because they didn't want her to get hurt again. She smiled at the comment but knew it was her that didn't want to let go of what they had.

She looked down at the album page titled Not so Scary Slytherins and smiled as the four frames replayed themselves over and over again.

_So I'll watch your life in pictures like I used to watch you sleep  
>And I'll feel you forget me like I use to feel you breathe<br>And I'll keep up with our old friends just to ask them how you are  
>Hope it's nice where you are<em>

Draco's P.O.V.

He was walking alongside his best friend when his friend suddenly took off.

"Where are you going?" He shouted. Though his question was ignored as he saw his friend sprint off down the street. It wasn't until he saw the mass of curly brown hair that he realised why Blaise had run off. Blaise wouldn't tell anyone but he was really fawned of the Gryffindor girl. He had adopted an older brother persona for the girl whether she wanted his protection or not. He noticed that many people who had met the girl had become attached to her, it was just so damn hard not to like the girl.

He watched as she fling her arms around him and felt a familiar pang of jealousy arouse inside of him. Normally he would have told himself feeling something like that was ridiculous in such a situation. But he hadn't wanted to break up with her, he knew he would have been more than happily content with her but he was doing her a favour.

He'd seen what his world had done to his mother and knew it could do the same thing to her. His mother was just like her in ways; kind, caring, compassionate, happy, loving and full of life. He heard stories about his mother from his father as a child, and the house elves sometimes too. He even remembered bits of her when he was really young, the way she smiled and laughed with her young son. She was so care free, but this life had changed her.

He heard about what she'd given up to be with his father and he really didn't want to make Hermione have to choose and give up her life she had now.

He watched the two chat happily and felt his lips curve upwards as he saw the smile on her face. He could tell it wasn't completely care free as it used to be but that was just the evidence of what his world had done to her in such a short time.

He saw them laugh and then saw his friends face darken. He could see him talking and watched as her face darkened too meaning the subject they were discussion had landed on him. He saw anger ignite in her eyes and she seemed to be scolding Blaise about something before her expression softened and Blaise's stance became rigid. She must have asked him something he wasn't comfortable answering.

He saw the hesitation in his friend's response which only reassured that his first thought was correct. They were talking about him. He watched his friend answer and saw a sad smile appear on his ex-girlfriends face and suddenly really wanted to know what it was that had made her expression so… sullen.

He saw them nod and bid goodbye and watched as her eyes skimmed the crowd until they met his own. He wanted to smile but instead looked back to his friend to find Blaise had stopped mid-step by something she had said. Soon Blaise was on making his way back to him and he saw her turn and leave in the opposite direction.

"Where do you want to eat?" He asked his friend when he was finally back at his side.

"She said to tell you she said hi." He said completely ignoring the previous given question.

"Blaise, I'm not going to talk about her now." He said taking off in a random direction looking for the closest diner.

"Well it's time you did." He said stubbornly.

"Why does it matter?" He said pulling open a door that led to a fancy European restaurant. He sat down at a booth and picked up a menu hoping his silence would cause Blaise to drop the subject. It didn't work.

"She defended you today." He said simply using the statment as he answer as he watched for a reaction in his in-denial-friend from across the table.

"So?" He asked despite his heart that had suddenly started racing.

"So doesn't that mean something to you?" His dark haired companion asked his voice rising slightly.

"Should it?" He asked coldly from behind his menu.

"Does it?" Blaise pleaded slightly.

"No." He said putting down his menu to look his friend in the eyes.

"Liar. Do you want to know why she was defending you?" He asked hoping to trigger the curiosity in his friend that was lying just below the surface.

"No." He said glaring at Blaise to drop the subject. Daring him with his eyes to continue and see what happens.

Challenge accepted on Blaise's part.

"I said you didn't know what you were missing. I said you were being a fool." He said waiting for a reaction that didn't come.

"Some mate you are." He huffed pretending to be offended.

"And you know what she said. She said I shouldn't talk like that about you because and I quote 'He's your best friend'." Blaise said leaning forward and placing his elbows on the table. His friend didn't say anything but it wasn't because he was lost in thought, he probably just chose not to answer.

"I said best mate or not that you were a right fowl git where ever I'm concerned. And you should have seen her. Her eyes were livid with anger for me calling you out. Most girls would have been ecstatic that someone else close to the man that broke her heart thought he'd done her wrong but not Hermione. No, she was mad at _me_ because she has it stuck in that pretty little head of hers that you did _nothing_ wrong to her." Blaise said hoping to break through one of the many walls his friend had put up when the subject of Hermione came around.

"Well she's never exactly been normal now has she?" He chuckled slightly to himself.

"She asked how you were today." Blaise said as calmly as he had when he first introduced the subject.

Knowing his friend was going to just continue one talking he might as well at least to pretend to hear everything out.

"You should have seen her Draco. Her eyes, she looked hopeful and hurt. Like she wanted to hear that you were doing well, but it hurt for her to hear it out loud." Blaise said looking off somewhere in thought.

"And since when have you been reading eyes Blaise?" He asked sharply. What did he know about emotion anyway, the only emotion Blaise knew was mischief.

"Since I started seeing some light in yours." Blaise said matter-of-factly.

Not a word was sounded between the two as they sat there analyzing each other. Both found the other to be equally as stubborn as they were to push the subject or drop it. Blaise was first to break the silence as Draco was completely content with its presence.

"Why'd you do it?" Blaise asked for what must have been the fifteenth time since they broke up around six months ago.

"I've told you why." He said leaning back and crossing his arms.

"You've told me your world would destroy who she was. What makes you think it would?" Blaise asked.

"It ruined my mother. I heard the whispers of shock as we walked down Diagon alley of how much she'd changed. Her smile gone, her hair pulled back, dressed all in black instead of colour, the way she spoke with an edge instead of wonder. It took years before it broke her, but soon, soon it did." He said not enjoying having to explain his decisions to his friend.

"You saw her today, she's already lost some of who she was from the short time she was in my life." He stated. He was slightly angered when Blaise started laughing at him. "What?" He growled.

"Your 'world' as you put it isn't what's breaking her apart. _You_ are. Can't you see she still loves you?" Blaise asked amusement dancing in his eyes.

"What are you playing at Blaise?" Draco asked sceptically.

"What in your world could hurt her that it can't in her own?" His friend had a point and he knew it.

"Prejudice." He said his voice edging into a growl.

"The prejudice she's dealt with since first year? The prejudice you introduced her to." Blaise stated. What was his game? If it was to make him as mad as possible he was winning.

"She wouldn't be able to go anywhere in my world without the whispers of her blood. And she wouldn't be able to go anywhere in her world without people treating her poorly for associating with a previous Death Eater." He said his voice inching lower to its breaking point.

"People aren't as concerned about that as you think they are. Or you could stand up for her to the ones who are. Or is she still a little mudblood to you?" Blaise asked pushing him past his limit.

Soon he had reached over the table and grabbed the color of his friends shirt and pulled him over so his face was inches from his own. Blaise could see the anger showing in his friends eyes and knew he was doing his job.

"Don't call her that." His voice was more dangerous than Blaise had ever heard it. But he wasn't fazed by his rage, he was expecting it. Blaise waited as Draco slowly released his grip on his collar before sitting back down. Blaise sighed deciding to take the direct approach. Draco didn't need games to enforce his actions, he needed to be how to get started whether he liked it or not.

"Why don't you go talk to her? She was good for you mate." He said sincerely.

"She wouldn't want to talk to me, not now." He muttered to himself shaking his head. Blaise looked at his blonde friend and shook his head in disbelief letting him mouth hang open slightly. Had his friend suffered some kind of head injury or was he just being stupid.

"Let's repeat the first thing I said in this conversation than." Blaise said. "She wants me to tell you she said hi." He watched a small glimmer of light appear in his friends eyes as he muttered a 'whatever' and left. He would have appeared to be in a bad mood but he recognized that little light in his eyes. He knew it wouldn't be long before his two friends where united stronger than ever once more.

Draco was just heading out the door when he heard his friend mumbling to himself.

"Damn, I forgot to make him pay." He laughed at his childish friend. You could say many things about Blaise Zabini, but you couldn't say he was a good friend.

In hind sight he was glad Blaise had made him talk about her because he had been debating for weeks now whether to go and apologize to her. Not only had Blaise told him he should but he also vanquished previous fears that she would end up isolated like his mother had.

He spent the rest of the day wondering how he was going to do it; if he was going to bump into her or if he would simply owl her to meet him, and what he was going to say.

The only thing that kept him from backing out of going to see her was when Blaise had said she still only wanted the best for him. By the time he conjured up his courage it was seven o'clock and could only think of one place she would be.

_And I hope the sun shines and it's a beautiful day  
>And something reminds you, you wish you had stayed<br>We can plan for a change in weather and time  
>I never planned on you changing your mind<em>

Hermione's P.O.V.

She could feel a warmth fill her heart as she looked down at her school days. She missed everyone and everything. She didn't know when she'd fallen too far with Draco but she knew at one point she thought he would always be there.

She didn't know if it was at the beginning of the seventh year when they had started dating, or if it was some time before they left Hogwarts. Or maybe she only really loved him during the year after Hogwarts they were together.

She looked up at the clock thinking it would have been really late as she usually got lost in these photos but was pleasantly surprised it was only seven twenty. She wondered what she would possibly do with the rest of her night.

She could go have a bath but she was already comfy in her favourite shirt and shorts. She could make the dinner she wasn't really hungry for or she could read some of her work documents.

She was brought out of her thoughts by the ringing of her door bell. She left her photo album open on the floor and the picture on the mantle because it was probably Ginny who wouldn't comment on how she chose to spend her night. That's also why she didn't bother throwing on pants since the only one who visited her around these hours unannounced where close friends.

She opened the door to a pleasant surprise. Draco Malfoy was standing on her door mat nervously smiling down at her. She then blushed when she saw him eye her up and down and realised she was in _his_ clothes. She saw his eyes drift behind her and could only imagine what he was thinking as he took in the book full of photos of them.

She stood there nervously not knowing what to do as she didn't know why he was here. She looked up at him to find him smirking at her again. She thought about how she had wanted to see him again and all the things she would say but to actually have it happen was something else entirely.

"Blaise gave me your message." He said casually. "Can I come in?" He asked her and stepped forward when she moved aside allowing him entrance.

He stood just inside the tiny apartment taking everything in once more as she slowly closed the front door.

Minutes later from outside the door one could hear chatting and laughing coming from inside the small apartment. In fact if one were to listen in on the voices they would understandably assume that the male and female in the room where catching up on some lost time.

But if the two friends inside the apartment really were catching up which undoubtedly they were, one really shouldn't be listening in.

* * *

><p>So there you go. It took me the weekend and I didn't plan on it being this long but I'm happy with it. The only thing I was wondering about was whether to leave the ending as it is or to indicate Blaise was listening in rather than some imaginary being. But I like it best this way.<p>

I hope you liked it.

I don't own Harry Potter or the cast and I don't own this song.

Anyway thanks for reading

-Dini


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